One of the things that's much easier to get at Pennsic than
anywhere else I normally go is leather lacing.

Braided Leather

I went to
Spotted Pony Traders
and bought four 72" laces made from what must be deerskin or calfskin leather
since it's soft "like buttah" to make this braid.
I started out doing a 4-strand braid to make the loop in the center.
It was a royal pain to keep the laces from flipping around while braiding.
Once I switched to the 8-strand "Edo Yatsu" to complete the braid,
it became much easier to keep the laces flat while braiding,
so the exterior is entirely the smooth side of the laces.